Monday, December 22, 2008

Zygmunt to quit soon, sources say

It may not happen today as has been speculated, but an announcement on JayZygmunt's resignation is imminent, according to Rams team sources.

Zygmunt is the Rams' president of football operations-general manager and hasworked in some capacity with the organization for 27 seasons. Even if itdoesn't come today, team sources said it will definitely come at some pointthis week.

It is expected to be the first of several moves that will result in a majorrestructuring of the Rams' front office. Billy Devaney, the team's executivevice president of personnel, will receive a new title and broader powers in the organization. And John Shaw, who has been with the club for 29 years, is expected to relinquish his team president title while remaining with the clubas a consultant to ownership, particularly owner and chairman Chip Rosenbloom.

Zygmunt joined the Rams as a general counsel in 1982. He was named vicepresident in 1988, senior vice president in 1991 and executive vice presidentin 1996. But on Feb. 4, 2000, just days after the team's 23-16 victory overTennessee in Super Bowl XXXIV, Zygmunt was elevated to president of footballoperations. (The general manager title was added several years later.) It wasthat post-Super Bowl XXXIV promotion that put Zygmunt in charge of the club'sday-to-day football operations.

Two years later, following the Rams' Super Bowl runner-up finish in the 2001 season, Zygmunt was runner-up in voting for The Sporting News NFL executive ofthe year award. But in recent years, he has come under increasing criticism asthe losses have mounted on the football field.

Zygmunt has had some health issues the past couple of years. In September of2007 he was hospitalized briefly after suffering what doctors later called a "mini-stroke." And this past summer, he had three stents inserted into coronaryarteries.